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How Can Echinacea Extract be Applied to Animal Feed Additives?
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In recent years, the global animal husbandry industry has been embracing natural and sustainable feed solutions, with plant extracts gradually becoming a viable alternative to traditional antibiotics. Echinacea extract, derived from Echinacea species of the Asteraceae family, has attracted wide attention as a feed additive, thanks to its verified immune-modulating and antioxidant properties. This article elaborates on the practical application of echinacea extract in animal feed, drawing on credible scientific research, and provides targeted guidance for different livestock and poultry species, while strictly complying with advertising regulations and avoiding exaggerated claims.
To better apply echinacea extract in animal feed, it is necessary to clarify its functional mechanisms in animals. Existing scientific studies have confirmed that its nutritional effects mainly rely on two core pathways: immune regulation and oxidative stress mitigation.
In terms of immune regulation, echinacea extract can promote the development of animal immune organs such as the spleen, thymus, and bursa of Fabricius, and enhance the activity of immune cells. Specifically, it can increase the count of white blood cells and lymphocytes in the blood, improve antibody production levels, and regulate the secretion of key cytokines including interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (Ashour et al., 2025). These effects effectively strengthen the non-specific and specific immunity of animals, thereby reducing the risk of disease infection, especially in young animals and those under immunosuppressive conditions.
As a natural antioxidant, echinacea extract can reduce the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), a key indicator of oxidative damage, and increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in animal bodies (Farag & Hanafy, 2025). This helps alleviate oxidative stress caused by environmental factors such as transportation, overcrowding, and temperature fluctuations, maintaining the normal physiological functions of animals and improving their adaptability to the environment.
The application of echinacea extract in animal feed needs to be adjusted according to the species, age, and physiological stage of animals to ensure optimal efficacy. Below are evidence-based application guidelines for common livestock and poultry:
1. Poultry (Broilers, Layers, Ducks)
Poultry is one of the fields where echinacea extract has been most extensively studied and applied. For broilers, both feed addition and drinking water supplementation are feasible methods. Ashour et al. (2025) conducted an experiment on Cobb 500 broilers and found that adding 3.0 mL/L of echinacea extract to drinking water (administered intermittently, once every 3 days for 30 consecutive days) could significantly improve the average daily gain and feed conversion rate of broilers, while enhancing serum antioxidant capacity and regulating blood lipid metabolism by reducing total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels.
Farag & Hanafy (2025) pointed out that adding 0.5% to 1.0% Echinacea purpurea extract to broiler feed can increase the relative weight of immune organs and reduce abdominal fat percentage, with 0.5% being the optimal dosage considering both efficacy and economic benefits. For layers, appropriate supplementation of echinacea extract during the peak laying period can improve egg quality, increase eggshell thickness, and reduce the rate of broken eggs. For ducks with immunosuppression caused by disease or stress, echinacea extract can help restore immune function, improve weight gain, and regulate intestinal flora balance by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Akkermansia (Hu et al., 2024).
2. Aquatic Animals (Tilapia, Rainbow Trout)
In aquaculture, echinacea extract plays an important role in enhancing the disease resistance of aquatic animals. Li et al. (2024) found that adding 0.25 mg/kg of echinacea extract to tilapia feed can significantly improve the daily weight gain of tilapia and enhance the activity of lysozyme, a key indicator of non-specific immunity, thereby improving the resistance of tilapia to pathogenic bacteria. For rainbow trout, dietary supplementation of 0.25% to 0.50% echinacea extract can increase the number of white blood cells and lymphocytes in the blood, strengthen the immune response, and reduce the mortality rate caused by streptococcal infection.
3. Small Herbivores (Weaned Rabbits)
Weaned rabbits are in a critical period of physiological adaptation, with low immunity and high mortality. Hu et al. (2024) confirmed through experiments that adding echinacea extract to the feed of weaned rabbits can enhance their immune function and antioxidant capacity, reduce the mortality rate during the weaning period, and improve the uniformity of growth. For ruminants such as cattle and sheep, preliminary studies show that echinacea extract can improve the immune response effect of vaccines and alleviate immune suppression caused by stress, but further research is needed to optimize the specific dosage and application mode.
To give full play to the role of echinacea extract as a feed additive and ensure animal safety, the following points should be paid attention to in practical application:
· Guarantee Product Quality: The content of active components in echinacea extract, such as polysaccharides and alkamides, is affected by plant variety, extraction process, and storage conditions. It is necessary to select standardized products with clear active ingredient content and stable quality to ensure consistent application effects.
· Reasonable Combination Application: Echinacea extract can be combined with probiotics, organic acids, or vitamins to produce synergistic effects, further improving animal immunity and growth performance. However, compatibility tests should be carried out before combination to avoid antagonistic reactions between different additives.
· Comply with Regulatory Requirements: When using echinacea extract, it is necessary to abide by the local feed additive management regulations, and strictly follow the specified scope of application and residue limits to ensure the safety of livestock products.
As a natural plant extract, echinacea extract has obvious advantages in enhancing animal immunity, improving growth performance, and alleviating oxidative stress, and has broad application prospects in poultry breeding, aquaculture, and small herbivore breeding. Its functional mechanisms are supported by sufficient scientific research, and rational application can provide an effective solution for the development of green and antibiotic-free animal husbandry. With the continuous improvement of consumers' demand for safe and healthy livestock products, echinacea extract is expected to become an important component of modern animal nutrition programs.
References
1. Ashour, E. A., Al Dhalmi, A. K., Ismail, I. S., & Elsayed, A. E. (2025). Echinacea extract as a natural immune stimulant and antioxidant: Effects on growth performance, blood indices, and carcass traits of broiler chickens. Poultry Science, 104(3), 1892-1901.
2. Farag, M. E., & Hanafy, M. M. (2025). Efficacy of Echinacea purpurea extract supplementation on growth performance, immune response, and carcass characteristics of broiler chicks. Egyptian Poultry Science Journal, 45(1), 47-62.
3. Hu, H. Y., Zhang, L., & Li, J. (2024). Echinacea extract regulates immune function and intestinal flora in immunosuppressed ducks.Chinese Journal of Animal Nutrition, 36(5), 2987-2996. (In Chinese)
4. Li, S., Wang, H., & Chen, W. (2024). Effects of echinacea extract on growth performance and immune indices of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Journal of Fisheries of China, 48(2), 289-298. (In Chinese)
5. Hu, H. Y., Liu, C., & Zhang, L. (2024). Effects of echinacea extract on antioxidant capacity and immune function of weaned rabbits. Journal of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, 43(3), 112-118. (In Chinese)
Core Mechanisms of Echinacea Extract in Animal Nutrition
To better apply echinacea extract in animal feed, it is necessary to clarify its functional mechanisms in animals. Existing scientific studies have confirmed that its nutritional effects mainly rely on two core pathways: immune regulation and oxidative stress mitigation.
In terms of immune regulation, echinacea extract can promote the development of animal immune organs such as the spleen, thymus, and bursa of Fabricius, and enhance the activity of immune cells. Specifically, it can increase the count of white blood cells and lymphocytes in the blood, improve antibody production levels, and regulate the secretion of key cytokines including interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (Ashour et al., 2025). These effects effectively strengthen the non-specific and specific immunity of animals, thereby reducing the risk of disease infection, especially in young animals and those under immunosuppressive conditions.
As a natural antioxidant, echinacea extract can reduce the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), a key indicator of oxidative damage, and increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in animal bodies (Farag & Hanafy, 2025). This helps alleviate oxidative stress caused by environmental factors such as transportation, overcrowding, and temperature fluctuations, maintaining the normal physiological functions of animals and improving their adaptability to the environment.
Application Methods for Different Livestock and Poultry Species
The application of echinacea extract in animal feed needs to be adjusted according to the species, age, and physiological stage of animals to ensure optimal efficacy. Below are evidence-based application guidelines for common livestock and poultry:
1. Poultry (Broilers, Layers, Ducks)
Poultry is one of the fields where echinacea extract has been most extensively studied and applied. For broilers, both feed addition and drinking water supplementation are feasible methods. Ashour et al. (2025) conducted an experiment on Cobb 500 broilers and found that adding 3.0 mL/L of echinacea extract to drinking water (administered intermittently, once every 3 days for 30 consecutive days) could significantly improve the average daily gain and feed conversion rate of broilers, while enhancing serum antioxidant capacity and regulating blood lipid metabolism by reducing total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels.
Farag & Hanafy (2025) pointed out that adding 0.5% to 1.0% Echinacea purpurea extract to broiler feed can increase the relative weight of immune organs and reduce abdominal fat percentage, with 0.5% being the optimal dosage considering both efficacy and economic benefits. For layers, appropriate supplementation of echinacea extract during the peak laying period can improve egg quality, increase eggshell thickness, and reduce the rate of broken eggs. For ducks with immunosuppression caused by disease or stress, echinacea extract can help restore immune function, improve weight gain, and regulate intestinal flora balance by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Akkermansia (Hu et al., 2024).
2. Aquatic Animals (Tilapia, Rainbow Trout)
In aquaculture, echinacea extract plays an important role in enhancing the disease resistance of aquatic animals. Li et al. (2024) found that adding 0.25 mg/kg of echinacea extract to tilapia feed can significantly improve the daily weight gain of tilapia and enhance the activity of lysozyme, a key indicator of non-specific immunity, thereby improving the resistance of tilapia to pathogenic bacteria. For rainbow trout, dietary supplementation of 0.25% to 0.50% echinacea extract can increase the number of white blood cells and lymphocytes in the blood, strengthen the immune response, and reduce the mortality rate caused by streptococcal infection.
3. Small Herbivores (Weaned Rabbits)
Weaned rabbits are in a critical period of physiological adaptation, with low immunity and high mortality. Hu et al. (2024) confirmed through experiments that adding echinacea extract to the feed of weaned rabbits can enhance their immune function and antioxidant capacity, reduce the mortality rate during the weaning period, and improve the uniformity of growth. For ruminants such as cattle and sheep, preliminary studies show that echinacea extract can improve the immune response effect of vaccines and alleviate immune suppression caused by stress, but further research is needed to optimize the specific dosage and application mode.
Key Notes for Safe and Effective Application
To give full play to the role of echinacea extract as a feed additive and ensure animal safety, the following points should be paid attention to in practical application:
· Guarantee Product Quality: The content of active components in echinacea extract, such as polysaccharides and alkamides, is affected by plant variety, extraction process, and storage conditions. It is necessary to select standardized products with clear active ingredient content and stable quality to ensure consistent application effects.
· Reasonable Combination Application: Echinacea extract can be combined with probiotics, organic acids, or vitamins to produce synergistic effects, further improving animal immunity and growth performance. However, compatibility tests should be carried out before combination to avoid antagonistic reactions between different additives.
· Comply with Regulatory Requirements: When using echinacea extract, it is necessary to abide by the local feed additive management regulations, and strictly follow the specified scope of application and residue limits to ensure the safety of livestock products.
Conclusion
As a natural plant extract, echinacea extract has obvious advantages in enhancing animal immunity, improving growth performance, and alleviating oxidative stress, and has broad application prospects in poultry breeding, aquaculture, and small herbivore breeding. Its functional mechanisms are supported by sufficient scientific research, and rational application can provide an effective solution for the development of green and antibiotic-free animal husbandry. With the continuous improvement of consumers' demand for safe and healthy livestock products, echinacea extract is expected to become an important component of modern animal nutrition programs.
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References
1. Ashour, E. A., Al Dhalmi, A. K., Ismail, I. S., & Elsayed, A. E. (2025). Echinacea extract as a natural immune stimulant and antioxidant: Effects on growth performance, blood indices, and carcass traits of broiler chickens. Poultry Science, 104(3), 1892-1901.
2. Farag, M. E., & Hanafy, M. M. (2025). Efficacy of Echinacea purpurea extract supplementation on growth performance, immune response, and carcass characteristics of broiler chicks. Egyptian Poultry Science Journal, 45(1), 47-62.
3. Hu, H. Y., Zhang, L., & Li, J. (2024). Echinacea extract regulates immune function and intestinal flora in immunosuppressed ducks.Chinese Journal of Animal Nutrition, 36(5), 2987-2996. (In Chinese)
4. Li, S., Wang, H., & Chen, W. (2024). Effects of echinacea extract on growth performance and immune indices of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Journal of Fisheries of China, 48(2), 289-298. (In Chinese)
5. Hu, H. Y., Liu, C., & Zhang, L. (2024). Effects of echinacea extract on antioxidant capacity and immune function of weaned rabbits. Journal of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, 43(3), 112-118. (In Chinese)
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